Lid-lock for pressure vessels



Oct. 6, 1964 G. EFI-'NER 3,151,903

LID-LOCK FOR PRESSURE VESSELS Filed July 28, 1961 United States Patent O3,151,903 LID-LOCK FOR PRESSURE VESSELS Georg Ehner, Galgenhergweg 4,Memmingerberg, near Memmingen, Bavaria, Germany Filed .lilly 28, 1961,Ser. No. 127,645 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 18, 196i),

4 claims. (Cif '29e-256.75)

The invention relates to a lid-lock for pressure vessels in the form ofa hinged stirrup supporting in it a pressure evice for forcing the lidon, characterised in that the pressure device takes the form of ascrewed sleeve fitted with a hand lever and engaging in a thread on aguide sleeve, the first-named sleeve covering the guide sleeve after themanner of a cap and being limited by abutments to less than one completerevolution of screwed movement, and in that a buffer pressing againstthe lid and a spring column consisting of spring washers are guided inthe guide sleeves, the said column being arranged between the buer andthe screwed sleeve.

The special advantages of the invention reside among other things inthat the individual members of such a lid-lock, which can also be calleda quick-acting closure, are of conveniently handled design and easy andquick to operate. in addition, various operational requirements of thepressure vessel, for example changes in length of the closure elements,are complied with. There is always suicient sealing pressure, thequick-acting closure is self-holding, visual checking is possible, andthere is no fear or" so-called setting of the spring column undercontinuous heavy loading. ln the invention, the screwed sleevefurthermore protects the individual components of the lid-lock from theeffects of weather inside the guide sleeve. The lid-lock can thus alsobe used with pressure vessels, dome-type lids etc. iitted up in the openor carried on a vehicle, for example. No dirt can penetrate between theindividual components, and satisfactory functioning and long lite areensured even under severe operating conditions.

Relatively high closure pressure can be applied with the lid-lockaccording to the invention, since the hand lever pivots through arelatively wide range, without the possibility of visual checking beinglost, as in the case of screw closures of known design.

Two constructional examples of the invention are illustrated in thedrawing.

FGURE 1 shows a lateral elevation of the hinged stirrup, with a sectionthrough the screwed sleeve and the guide sleeve,

FlGURE 2 shows another lateral elevation of the device shown in FGURE l,

FGURE 3 shows a modied constructional example of the invention in theopen position, and

FIGURE 4 shows the device shown in FIGURE 3 in another operatingposition.

The hinged stirrup 3 is pivotably supported in known manner with the aidor two lugs 2 litted to the container 1 and a pin 4. A cylindrical guidesleeve 5, which receives a butter 6, a spring column consisting ofspring washers 7 and a pressure-plate 8, is arranged on the hingedstirrup 3. The buffer 6 bears via the return spring 9 against theshoulder 5 at the lower end of the guide sleeve 5.

The guide sleeve has an external thread 10 on to which the screwedsleeve 1l is screwed. As a result, the screwed sleeve covers the guidesleeve after the manner of a cap. A reversed thread arrangement is initself conceivable, but would additionally require a hood-like componenton the screwed sleeve to prevent dirt from reaching the gap between thescrewed sleeve and the guide sleeve.

A thrust ball 13 is inserted into the crown 12 of the screwed sleeve 11,and when the latter is screwed on to the guide sleeve 5 by means of thehand lever 14 the thrust ball 13 exerts a thrust on the buffer 6 via thepressure-plate S and the spring column 7, and the buffer 6 pressesagainst the top 15 of the lid 16. The stud 16' on the lid i6 preventsthe butler 6 from slipping oil.

A latch 17, acted on by the spring 18 let into the hinged stirrup 3, issupported on the latter, and can be rotated about the articulation 19.The screwed sleeve 11 comprises a groove 26, and in the closed positionthe projection 29 on the latch 17 engages in this groove and secures thescrewed sleeve 11. The latch 17 can be pushed down and thereby released,with the result that the screwed sleeve 11 can be unfastened again.

The lower edge 21 of the screwed sleeve 11 is bevelled at 22 tocorrespond to the pitch of the thread 10, and stepped at 23, so that anabutment is formed for a pin indicated in dash-dotted line at Z4 inFIGURE 1, or for a screw 25 (FGURES 3 and 4). The pin 24 or the screw 25limits the open position of the lid-lock. The pin 2d with the associatedstep 23 on the one hand and the latch 17 with the groove 26 on the otherhand are so arranged with respect to one another that the screwed eeveil can make less than one complete revolution of screwed movement. Inthe variant shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the latch 17 in the constructionalexample shown in FlGURES l and 2 is replaced by a springloaded pin 27pushed upwards by the spring 28. This pin 27 engages in the cut-away 29in the screwed sleeve 11 when the lid-lock is in the position in whichpressure is applied. Suitable mutual adaptation of the thread pitch andthe position of the pin 27 and the cut-away 29 provides a simple meansof preventing further tightening after the pin 27 has engaged in thecutaway 29, but enabling reverse movement to take place after the safetyhold has been overcome.

The invention can be used not only with vessels in which there isrelatively heavy internal pressure, but also with vessels with onlyslight internal pressure, or even with vessels and containers withsensitive or corrosive contents, in the case of which secure closure bymeans of relatively heavy closure pressure is necessary or expedient.

I claim:

1. A lid-loci; for pressure vessels in the form of a hinged stirrupsupporting in it a pressure device for forcing the lid on, said pressuredevice including a screwed sleeves iitted with a hand lever and engagingin a thread on a guide sleeve, said screwed sleeve covering the guidesleeve to form a cap thereover and being limited by abutments to lessthan one complete revolution of screwed sleeve tted with a hand leverand engaging in a spring column consisting of spring washers guided inthe guide sleeve, said column being arranged between the butter and thescrewed sleeve, a central thrust ball disposed between the crown of thescrewed sleeve and a pressure plate disposed above the spring column.

2. A lid-lock for pressure vessels in the form of a hinged stirrupsupporting in it a pressure device for forcing the lid on, said pressuredevice including a screwed sleeve tted with a hand lever and engaging ina thread on a guide sleeve, said screwed sleeve covering the guidesleeve to form a cap thereover and being limited by abutments to lessthan one complete revolution of screwed movement, a buier pressingagainst the lid and a spring column consisting of spring washers guidedin the guide sleeve, said column being arranged between the buffer andthe screwed sleeve, said abutment which limits the position in whichpressure is applied including a safety latch engaged under springpressure.

3. in a lid-lock for pressure vessels, a stirrup adapted to be hingedlymounted on the vessel and supporting a pressure means for co-action withthe lid, said pressure means including a rst sleeve having open ends anda screw-threaded portion, a second sleeve having a closed end and ascrew-threaded portion engageable with the threaded portion of the firstsleeve with the closed end closing one open end of the first sleeve, ahand lever operably attached to said second sleeve for turning the same,abutment means for limiting movement of the second sleeve relative tothe lirst sleeve to less than one full revolution of threaded movement,buffer means Within said first sleeve for pressing against the lid, anda plurality of spring Washers located within said first sleeve betweenthe closed end of the second sleeve and 4 the buffer means forV applyingpressure to said buffer means.

4. The lid-lock as claimed it claim 3, in which the threaded portion ofsaid first sleeve is an external thread and that of the second sleeve aninternal thread.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

2. A LID-LOCK FOR PRESSURE VESSELS IN THE FORM OF A HINGED STIRRUPSUPPORTING IN IT A PRESSURE DEVICE FOR FORCING THE LID ON, SAID PRESSUREDEVICE INCLUDING A SCREWED SLEEVE FITTED WITH A HAND LEVER AND ENGAGINGIN A THREAD ON A GUIDE SLEEVE, SAID SCREWED SLEEVE COVERING THE GUIDESLEEVE TO FORM A CAP THEREOVER AND BEING LIMITED BY ABUTMENTS TO LESSTHAN ONE COMPLETE REVOLUTION OF SCREWED MOVEMENT, A BUFFER PRESSINGAGAINST THE LID AND A SPRING COLUMN CONSISTING OF SPRING WASHERS GUIDEDIN THE GUIDE SLEEVE, SAID COLUMN BEING ARRANGED BETWEEN THE BUFFER ANDTHE SCREWED SLEEVE, SAID ABUTMENT WHICH LIMITS THE POSITION IN WHICHPRESSURE IS APPLIED INCLUDING A SAFETY LATCH ENGAGED UNDER SPRINGPRESSURE.